Baked Peas
1 can of peas drained or 1 package of frozen peas
5-6 slices of bacon chopped fine
1 1/2 cups of dry bread crumbs
11/2 cup of fresh sweet milk or cream
1 pinch of salt or to taste
1 white onion medium
Dice the bacon nicely. Chop the white onion. Fry the diced bacon with onion until slightly crisp ,and mix with peas and milk in a deep cast iron skillet. Then put into the peas the bread crumbs, mix them well with bacon fat, peas and milk .Put bacon and pea mixture into a buttered baking dish, but the dish maybe simmered on the slow fire as well- on the top of the stove. If you put the peas into the owen, sprinkle the the peas with the bread crumbs over the top generously, and bake in a moderate oven until crumbs are well toasted and crunch.
THIS IS THE TRADITIONAL WAY MY FAMILY PREPARES THE TRADITIONAL AMERICAN DISH - THE BAKED PEAS WITH STRIPES OF HAM, PREPARED IN THE DEEP CAST IRON SKILLET. A NICE TREAT FOR THE WEEKEND OF OUR FAMILY IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA, GERMANY AND LITHUANIA- , AS WELL AS THE WHOLE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THE TRADITIONAL WAY WE COOK THE PEAS IS BAKING THEM IN THE DEEP IRON SKILLET WITH HAM AND ONIONS- TRADITIONAL AMERICAN STAPLE OF THE PURITAN FAMILIES, BUT THIS DISH IS AS WELL LOVED BY OUR LUTHERAN AND PURITAN FAMILIES IN POLAND, HUNGARY, AUSTRIA, SWEDEN, LITHUANIA AND WORLDWIDE. THE BAKED PEAS CAN BE EASILY PREPARED BY THE FAMILIES ALL THROUGH THE YEAR, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE MORE EVERYDAY MEALS HOWEVER THE FRESH FROZEN PEAS WE USUALLY COOK MORE OFTEN THAN CANNED ONES. THE SPICES THEY MAY BE SERVED WITH, ARE MOSTLY THE BLACK PEPPER AND SALT. WE SELDOM GARNISH THE PEAS, THOUGH THE BREAD CRUMBS GO WELL WITH THE GRATED CHEESE- MONTEREY JACK TYPE., YOU MAY AS WELL SERVE THE BAKED PEAS WITH THE HARD BOILED EGG SAUCE.
THIS IS TRADITIONAL RECIPE OF THE GRAND AMERICAN CUISINE.-HISTORICAL RECIPE WHICH DATES 1800DS. THE BAKED PEAS WAS CONSIDERED AS THE SAFE AND SCROMPTUOUS ALL YEAR ROUND DISH, SUITABLE AND ALLOWED FOR THE LITTLE CHILDREN AND TODDLERS, IF THE HEAVY SPICE, LIKE THE BLACK PEPPER, CHIVES WAS AVOIDED.